Railway signal-torpedo.



F. BUTCHER.

RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15. I918.

Patented Nov. 12, 1918.

F. BUTCHER.

RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. l5. I918.

1 ,284:,62 1 Patented Nov. 12, 1918.

*2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

/' L/M W attouwq UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK DUTCHER,'OF VERSAILLES, PENNSYLVANIA, AS-SIGNOR T0 CENTRAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY SIGNAL-TORPEDO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1918.

Application filed February 15, 1918. Serial No. 217,374.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it linown that I, FRANK DUTCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Versailles. in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Sig.- nal-Torpedoes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in railway signal torpedoes and the object of the invention is to provide a simple, cheap and efficient signal torpedo for use on railways.

In general terms the present invention comprises a flattened paper tube, a flat clip (preferably metal) fitting within the bottom of the tube and attached theretoby suitable ears or projections; an explosive tablet of'a flat rectangular shape, and a sheet of paper wrapped around the tablet and cemented, the ends of the paper doubled back over the tablet and overlapping each other, the wrapped tablet fitting within the flattened paper case and a means for attaching the torpedo to the head of a railroad rail.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1, is an inverted perspective .view of a torpedo embodying my inventioin Fig. 2, is a detached perspective view showing the parts of my improved torpedo in separated relation. Fig. 3, is an enlarged central, vertical sectional view of my torpedo, the wrapping for the explosive being exaggerated for the purpose of bringing out more clearly its construction when folded and placedwithin the flattened paper case.

Fig.4, is a perspective view showing the wrapper containing the explosive tablet, and with the ends of the wrapper extended be fore they are folded and lapped over.

Fig. 5, is a plain view of the sheet or wrapper in which the tablet is wrapped.

Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5 are substantially full size views of a torpedo made in accordance with my invention, except that the extended ends of Fig. 4 are thicker than the full size part there represented, and made so for the purpose of bringing out more clearly the.

several layers of the sheet when doubled as shown in that figure.

Referring now particularly to the drawings, 1 is a fiber tube preferably of paper. This tube is flattened and is of rectangular shape and approximately square.

The tube 1, is rolled in the ordinary manner from a sheet of paper and is preferably rolled in circular shape after which it is flattened in any suitable manner. The tube being rolled from a sheet of paper, there is a lapping edge and the tube is so flattened that this overlapping edge preferably appears at or approximately at the center of the bottom of the tube as at 2.

A flat clip3, is provided and this clip is preferably formed of sheet tin. It is provided with projecting ears 4, on its corners and with two transversely extending slots 5 between its ends which are located on a central line drawn longitudinal to the clip. A lead strap is provided for holding the tor pedo to the head of a railroad rail in a manner well understood by those skilled in this art. This strap 6 is threaded through the'openings 5 of the clip preferably in the manner shown in Fig. 2. The clip is then placed within the flattened tube 1, .and the ears 4 are turned around under and against the outer side of the bottom of the tube 1 as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. This clip serves several purposes, among which are that it provides an eflicient means for attaching the lead strap to the" torpedo in a manner to prevent it from becoming detached and it strengthens and gives stability to the torpedo. The ears 4, which clamp the bottom of the tube 1, as shown, serve as a means to prevent the paper forming the tube from becoming unwrapped under the influence of moisture or water.

An explosive tablet 7 is provided and this tablet is wrapped in a sheet 8. This sheet 8 is shown extended-in Fig. 5, and the dotted lines 9 shown in this figure indicate where the sheet folds when the tablet is wrapped therein, and the dots 10 indicate a water ill lines 9. It will be observed that the cement port ons 11. serve to cement the sheet as it is rolled and to tightly close the wrapped ends 13. The object of leaving the uncemented space at one end of the sheet is to prevent any of the cement coming in contact with the explosive tablet, because the tablet quickly absorbs moisture from the coment, and this is objectional because moisture. is injurious to an explosive. The tablet being rolled within the sheet 8, on the lines 9, the result of such wrapping is the package as illustrated in Fig. A. The ends 13 are then doubled over the body of the package and lapped as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. \Vhen the ends are folded as described they double at the points 14:, (Fig. l) and the result is that the explosive tablet is completely and tightly wrapped and inclosed within the sheet 8. The package containing the explosive tablet may be dipped in water-proof material when it is in the form shown in Fig. 4, and the tablet is thus inclosed within a water-proof Wrapping, or the outer side of the sheet 8 may be water-proof in any suitable manner before the tablet is wrapped.

iVith the tablet package 15 in the form shown in Fig. 2, it is pushed within the tube 1, in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 with the clip 3, belowit.

I find from actual practice and actual test that with a torpedo of this construction no metal part whatever flies when it is exploded. With the ears 4-, double around the outer side of the case 1, the explosion does not have any tendency to, and does not blow them out or disturb, their position.

It will also be observed that the lapped ends 13. form a cushion between the explosive 7. and the metal parts of the torpedo. lVhile it is not essential to have the lapped over ends at the bottom of the torpedo it is preferred to have them so located.

However, the tablet package can be placed within tube 1, with the double over ends either on its top or its bottom, in either case the wrapping around the tablet will form a cushion between the explosive tablet and the metal clip and strap.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A railway signal torpedo, comprising a fiber tube, an explosive, a wrapping tor the explosive, a strap attaching clip within the tube, a wrapped explosive placed within the tube with the wrapping between the explosive and the clip.

2. A railway signal torpedo, comprising a fiber tube, a metal clip within the tube and having attaching ears extending outside of and clamped down on the outer side of the tube, an explosive and a wrapping for the explosive, a wrapped explosive placed within the tube with the wrappingbetwefin the clip and the explosive.

3. A railway signal torpedo. comprising a fiber tube. a metal clip within the tube and attached thereto, an explosive, a paper wra pping for the explosive, the wrapping extending beyond the explosive and is doubled backward on the body of the explosive ferning an explosive package. said package placed within the tube with the wrapping between the explosive and the clip.

i. A railway signal torpedo, comprising a flat rectangular fiber tube, a flat strap attaching clip within the tube and a rectangular flat explosive tablet, a wrapping for the tablet, the wrapped tablet placed within the tube with the wrapping between the explosive and the clip.

5. A railway signal torpedo, comprising a rectangular flat fiber tube, a fiat metallic strap attaching clip within the flat tube, a

flat explosive tablet having a paper inclosure forming a tablet package, said package placed within the tube.

6. A railway signal torpedo, comprising a fiat rectangular fiber tube, a flat metallic strap attaching clip within the tube and attached to one wall thereof, a rectangular fiat explosive tablet. a water-proof inclosure for the tablet making a water-proof tablet package, said package placed within the tube with its water tight inclosure between the explosive and the said clip.

7. A railway. signal torpedo, comprising a rectangular fiat fiber tube,-a metallic flat strap attaching clip within the tube, a reetangular flat explosive tablet, an inclosure for the explosive tablet having its ends lapped on the body of the tablet, constituting a tablet package, said package placed within the tube with the doubled over ends of the inclosure between the explosive. and the said clip.

8. A railway signal torpedo, comprising a rectangular flat fiber tube, a metallic attaching clip fitting within the tube, said clip having a strap attaching opening. a strap threaded through said opening with its ends projecting beyond the ends of the tube, and an inclosed fiat explosive tablet within the said tube.

9. A railway signal torpedo, comprising a rectangular flat fiber tube, a strap attaching clip having a strap opening, the ends of the clip having ears projecting and clamping down the outside of the tube, and a fiat explosive tablet inclosed within a paper closure, said inclosed tablet placed within the.

tube.

10. A railway signal torpedo, comprising a rectangular fiat fiber tube, an explosive package comprising a rectangular flat explosive tablet wrapped within a sheet, the.

sheet projecting beyond the ends of the tablet and the ends of the Wrapped sheet double back on the body of the tablet, the said package placed Within the tube, and a rail attaching strap connected tothe tube.

11. An explosive package for railway signal torpedoes, comprising a rectangular fiat explosive tablet, a paper sheet Wider and longer than the tablet, said sheet having its inner side cemented to leave an uncemented space larger than the tablet for the purpose described, the tablet placed in the uncemented portion of the sheet and the sheet Wrapped around the tablet With the extended ends of the sheet double inward on the body of the tablet.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

FRANK DUTOHER. Witnesses:

ANNA BEVAN, A. R. MARSHALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

